The Man I Met In Prison
by Red Eyed Cajun
Summary: Alex Raven is on his own. In Prison. He's got trouble following him. And he's only 17. Thats until he meets a mysterious man who keeps looking out for Alex. A man everybody calls "James"
1. Prison

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Nothing at all. Nope no characters. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing I tell you. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Get the picture?  
  
"…….ah'm sorry mama…….. ah know, ah know………I'm sorry mama………yes mama, ya've told me that a thousand tahmes. Yes mama, ah know ah be a very stupid boy…………..Ah gotta go now mama…….they be lockin us up now…….no ah'm not lying ta ya jus so I don have ta tahlk ta ya…… bub bye mama… I love ya too… bub bye."  
  
I slammed the phone down. It wasn't that I didn't love my mother. Honestly, I did, but she just went on and on. You'd think 50 ft high, stone walls and bars would be enough to keep her whingeing southern voice out, but obviously it wasn't enough. Course she had every right to be moaning at me. I mean I did steal some very expensive jewellery from the Jewellers shop in town, but it wasn't my fault. Well, that's what I tell everyone, but they wont believe me. I was just walking down the street and I saw the shinning jewellery in the window and it kind of called out to me.   
  
This was my first day in prison. One day down……….. Seven hundred and twenty nine to go. It was a really scary place. It was a whole lot bigger than any of the small lockups there was back in my home town. The walls stooped over me and were the most amazing colour of grey. Everything was grey. Grey, grey, grey. Even my prison clothes were grey.   
  
Plus. Back home in the lockups (which I found myself in a lot. I just had a knack of attracting trouble. Again this wasn't my fault.) it was usually just yourself and a couple of drunks, but here, this was where the real bad ass guys were. I kept to myself and didn't mix with anyone else. When I get outta here I'm gonna tell people that I did this because everyone was scared of me. The truth is I was shit scared of everyone else. So you could imagine my reaction when someone tapped on my shoulder and said, "Hey."  
  
I turned around, and then I looked up. This guy was tall. Very tall. To really give you an idea about how tall this guy was he was so tall he blocked out the sun. I could have said something back that was really witty like , "Hey there shorty." But sadly my brain shut down and all I said was, "Geez yer tall."  
  
Another guy walked round from behind the tall guy. He was a lot shorter than the other and had brown messy hair and weird looking square glasses he walked towards me and said , "Oh yeah. He's tall. But he's real slow, so if you tell a joke you'll hear him laughing a few minutes later." The guy grinned and continued, "This here is Bruce, I'm peter. And you are?"

"meh, oh, um. Ah'm Alex. Alex Raven." I said trying to look cool. It didn't work.   
  
"Well Alex, what you in for." asked Peter.   
  
"Stealin."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jewellery. But it weren't ma fault."   
  
"You're gonna fit right in here Alex. Whatever anybody did, it 'weren't' their fault."

"Yes….. I am tall." said Bruce distantly.   
  
Peter and I gazed at him for a while and then Peter said, "just ignore him. Let me show you around."  
  
We started showing me around the courtyard pointing out where I could go, and where I couldn't. It wasn't that there were restricted parts of the courtyard, it was just you don't want to stand somewhere that's going to offend anyone if you get my meaning. "… don't go over there. That's where Mortimer and his henchmen hang out."  
  
"Are they dangerous?" I asked.  
  
"Lets just say they're bad news. Prison makes ya go crazy. And it don't help that half the people in here are mutants."  
  
This shut me up. I absent-mindedly fingered the chip that had been painfully inserted into the back of my neck to stop me from activating my powers. It did shut me up. But only for a couple of minutes, "So there's a lot of mutants in here."

"Yeah. Bruce is one of them. You see they aint all bad. Bruce is just too dumb to be anything else." said Peter.  
  
"So what's he in for?"

"No ones quite sure. He aint told no one. Some think its just for being a mutant. They do that you know. Just arrest people for being a mutant. "

"Yeah. Ah've heard. It aint right. Ah mean some of them don even deserve it."  
  
Peter went very quite and the colour from his face drained away. A tall man passed us, his eyes straight in front of us. He was about 6ft and looked quite muscular. His hair was shoulder length, a sort of auburn colour that was slowly beginning to grey. I thought I saw his eyes flicker towards me, but it must have been my imagination. I watched as he sat down by the wall, and that was it, he just closed his eyes and sat in the sun.  
  
"That there is probably the most dangerous man in prison. Not even Mortimer bothers this guy."

"He looks perfectly normal-."

"oh yeah he looks normal. But he's a mutant. And a crazy one at that."

"What he in for?"  
  
"Everything. Murder, theft, GBH. Everything. And he was really good at all of them. But his main occupation was a thief. He never got caught. There weren't no cop in the whole the USA that could catch that man."

I laughed and said, "If no cop could catch him then why the hell is he in prison?"  
  
"Turned himself in. No one knows why. Guilty conscious maybe. But I don't think so. There has to be something more. Maybe he just made to many enemies on the outside he thought it was better if he was on the inside. He's been here around 17 years"

"What's his name?"

"Another mystery. No one knows it. Not even the guards know what his name be. Apparently they say he sold his soul to the devil, and some say he is the devil. So most of the time people just call him the Devil. It's either that or 'James'."

"James?"  
  
" James."  
  
"Why James?"

"No one knows."

"Well if no one knows then how do they know he's called James?" Peter looked stumped for a minute and was about to reply when a continues bell began to ring.   
  
"Dinner." groaned Peter, "I swear I found a toenail in my stew yesterday."  
  
I just lost my appetite.   
  
I stood in the queue waiting for my 'toenail stew' when someone pushed me. "Get out of the way ya little shit."  
  
I looked up into the eyes of Mortimer. Well, wasn't this just my luck. Of course as my brain was prone to doing, it shut down. So instead of saying, "Of course." and stepping out of the way I said, "fuck off."  
  
There was a deathly silence and then Mortimer hissed, "What did you just tell me to do?"

"Ah said fuck off." Sure I sounded really tuff, but I was shaking like mad.   
  
"Ya got one last chance. Get the fuck out the way."  
  
My Mama always taught me to stand up for myself. God I wish she hadn't.   
  
"No."  
  
WHAM!!!  
  
So now I was on the floor and yes as expected they weren't going to let me off lightly. I tried to count the number of kicks, but I lost count. So then I started on the number of times they kicked me in the stomach and again lost count. Then suddenly it just stopped. I looked up and saw Mortimer and his henchmen pulling back.  
  
"Problem gentleman?"  
  
"N-n-no problem." Stuttered Mortimer. I looked at who he was replying to. It was the devil. Or James. Or what ever the hell his name was.   
  
"So why yo' be usin de kid as a punch bag?"  
  
"He, he, he wouldn't get out of my way."  
  
"Den maybe yo' should wait yo'r turn in de queue."

"Yeah, yeah, I should. I'll just be going now."

I watched as Mortimor scurried away like a rat, his fleas following closely behind. The guy held out his hand to help me up. I took it. "Thanks." I said. Sure I might be pissing my pants right now but my mama always taught me to be grateful. And I was really grateful.   
  
"Yo' alright kid?" he asked.  
  
"Just a little sore." I said, "Why didn't the guards stop them?"  
  
"Guards never get involved wit fights 'tween inmates. Yo' gotta fight yer own battles in here kid."  
  
"So why did ye get involved?"  
  
He grinned at me, "Yer jus a kid, onl' 17 I be t'inkin'. Plus, four 'gainst one aint fair."  
  
"Well, thanks. Ah'm Alex. Alex-"  
  
"Raven. Don look so surprised. Yer de kid that robbed that Jewellers shop. I saw an article about it in de paper. Bet yer mama weren't that happy wit ya?"  
  
I laughed, "She weren't happy wit meh at all."  
  
"What bout yer papa?"   
  
"Ma papa's dead."  
  
"I'm sorry." "Don be. Ah neva knew him. Mama says that I be just as bad as him. But she means it affectionately….. Ah think."  
  
I watched as he laughed. How could anyone think this man was dangerous. I mean his eyes actually shine when he laughs. Bit like a cartoon.   
  
"I bet she does kid. Look. Yo' want some advice?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Keep yo'r eyes open. I don t'ink anybody else be t'inkin of beatin yo' up anymore, but jus keep yer eyes open. Stick wit Peter and Bruce. Yo' always better in numbers. Ok kid?"  
  
"Ok."   
  
He began to walk away from me, it was then I saw the chip in the back of his neck.  
  
I quickly followed him and sat across from him at the table. "So what ye in here fer?" I asked.  
  
"Didn' yo' hear? Everyt'in." he said concentrating on his food.   
  
"Yeah, but ah wanna know the truth."  
  
He looked at me for a while and then finally said, "Alright kid. Yo' wanna know de truth. I'll tell yo'. But not now."  
  
"Why not now-"   
  
"Cause yo' be in here a while kid. Yo'r gonna need somt'in t'keep yo'r mind offa t'ings. An I'm hungry. D'yo' get me?"  
  
"Ah got ya. But can ah ask ya something now?"  
  
"Yo' can ask."  
  
"What exactly do ah call ya? Incase ya hadn't realised, ya aint told me yer name yet."

At this he looked me straight in the eyes. His eyes were a very sharp brown. If I squinted my eyes like this they almost looked re- "Don, squint at me kid."  
  
"Sorry sir."  
  
"Round here, eva'body calls me 'James'."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But yo' can call me Remy."


	2. What did you do?

Disclaimer: Don own anything. I got the idea for this story from the film Shawshank Redemption. And I don't own that either.  
  
**6 MONTHS LATER  
**  
"Yes mama………..yes mama……..mama ya don make friends in prison, ya make enemies………no mama I haven't gotta lot of enemies……..I got a couple of people watchin ma back, don worry…….they're not ma friends…….they're jus people I know…..yes mama……I gotta go mama….no I'm not lying….bye mama……bye."  
  
I could here Peter laughing behind me. Well it was alright for him. His parents are both dead, when he's not in prison he just lives with his aunt. It took Bruce a little longer to start laughing.  
  
"Aw shut up Peter." I said.  
  
"Yer such a mama's boy Alex."  
  
"Ahm not!"

"Ya are. And she wouldn't want anything happenin to her darlin' boy. So make friends ickle Alex."  
  
"ha ha ha ha."  
  
We turned to look at Bruce.

He stared blankly back.

"Right. Ok. So Alex. Coming to the gym for a while?"

"Nah. I'm gonna tahlk ta Remy."

"Again. Yer always talkin to him."

"Well. He's always got good advice."  
  
I began to walk across the stone courtyard to the tall wall that He always sat at. I notice how he always sat there, exact same spot, same position, just sitting in the sun, smoking a cigarette with a satisfied grin on his face and his eyes shut. He didn't need to keep his eyes open at all times. No one ever bothered him.

Well.

Except me.  
  
"Hey Remy. Can I join ya?" I asked cautiously.  
  
"Feel free kid." I sat down beside him on the hard ground mimicking his sitting position. "Called yo'r mama?"  
  
"Yeah. Man is she annoying."  
  
"She's jus looking' out fo' what's best for yo' kid."  
  
"I know tha'. But why the hell does she have ta be so over protective of meh?"

"Maybe she lost something once and shes scared she gonna loose yo' t'. "

"Well she aint gonna loose meh."

"If she aint loosin ya kid den why yo' in prison."

"oh."  
  
Id never thought of it like that before. I guess she really was loosing me.   
  
"So what yo' planning on doin when yo' get outta here?"  
  
"Ah dunno. Aint really though bout it."  
  
"Bet yo' were real smart at school, top grades an everyt'in."

"How d'ya know that?"

"Yo' mama sounds like a smart woman. Ever thought bout law."  
  
"Law? A little. Thought of changing it. Changin it so I don have ta end up here. Why d'ya say law?"

"Yo' real good at arguing a point. An dere be people out dere dat could usin you in dere corner. T'ink bout. Yo' got first hand experience of bein in jail. If yo' went inta law yo' could help people not end up like yo' are now."

I could do it. My grades at School were good enough to do something like law. And I was really good arguing. Maybe I could be a lawyer.   
  
"If I become a lawyer, then I can come back and get ya outta here. An Bruce and Peter."  
  
I watched as he laughed his eyes shinning in that peculiar way they always did. "'fraid I be a lost hope kid. But yeah. I ' spose yo' could come back and get Peter and Bruce out. But not me kid."

"Why not? If ah got ya outta here its not lahke ya'd have no where ta go. Ya could come live with meh and mama. She wouldn't mind."

He looked me in the eye and said, "I'm sure she wouldn't. But Im gonna be in here a long time."

"How longs yer sentence?"

"Life."  
  
"Life!!! Yer jokin!"

"Nope. I aint jokin. I be grateful fo' dat. I be lucky dat it aint de death penalty I be facin."

"But, but, how, how could they give ya life?"

"'Member kid. I don everyt'in."

"That's jus rumours though. What did ya actually do?"  
  
He looked away from me for a while. Whatever it was he did I could see it was hurtin' him inside. Hurtin' him a lot.   
  
Whenever he was silent for a while I knew that was my cue to leave and was about to when he said, "I be responsible fo' a lot of deaths kid. A man, by de name of Nathianal Essex hired me t' gather a group o' mutants. So I did. Didn't know why Mister Essex wanted dem but I owed de man an' I never go back on ma word. So den Mr Essex be telling me t'take dese mutants inta some tunnels and basically follow dey'r lead. Dose mutants massacred a group of underground mutants called the Morlocks. I couldn't stop dem. I tried t'save as many as I could, but it was not'in compared t'de damage I had caused. So dats why I be in here. Cause I was responsible for de team of mutants."  
  
Prison was a bad place and if you wanted to survive you had to have a reputation. They kind that says, "Get to Fuck." So, a crying man kinda ruins that reputation, which was why at this moment, in this time, this man, was not crying. But maybe at another moment, another time, this man would be crying.   
  
"Ya were jus following orders." I said.  
  
"Dat aint an excuse kid. I did wrong, an now I be payin fo' it."

"But its not fair!"

"Non kid, it aint fair. But its life. Look kid. De past has a nasty way of catchin up wit yo', so promise me dis. When yo' get outta here, yo' find dose folks yo' stole from an yo' apologise. Den after dat yo' get a life an yo' help yo' mama out. Cause she needs yo'. Got it?"

"I got it."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"I promise."

"Good. Now, can I ask yo' a question?"

I was so taken aback by this that I didn't answer for a while. Remy never asked me questions. It was like he knew everything about me already. It was weird. But after a while I managed to splutter out, "Yeah sure."

"What was yo' papa's name?"

I had to think about this one. "Well….this is gonna sound crazy…..but….. I don't know."

"Yo' don know?"

"Nope. Ma Mama don like tahlkin bout ma da'. She says it hurts too much. But she tells me lil' things like he was really good at card tricks and stuff…………………….. She misses him."  
  
"She does?"

"Well, she's always sayin stuff lahke 'Yer as bad as yer papa.' and 'ye are definitely yer fathers son.' but yeah. She misses him."  
  
I watched as he slowly stood up, there was a shine in his eyes again, "I gotta be goin' kid. Dere be some fresh fish (A.N: New prisoners.) coming in tonight an I don wan Mortimer harassin de poor guys. So I be seein yo' later kid." He walked away a couple of steps and then turned back round, "Next time yo' talk t'yo' mama, yo' tell her dat James be sayin hi, but mind dat be all yo' tell her. Got it Kid?"

"Got it."  
  
He smiled and walked away. While he walked I thought, "There goes the most dangerous man in this prison. This man that's so dangerous that he wanna be sayin hiya ta ma mama. So dangerous that he now be standin' up fer some guys he aint never met before. This man aint dangerous. This jus be a man looking ta make a difference in a world run by hate."  
  
It was at that moment I knew what I was going to do when I finally got out. I was going to get a job as a lawyer. I was going to set ma mama up in a real nice house. And I was going to come back to this shit hole and get my friends out. I was going to come back and get the one man that stood up for me. The man that had been like a father to me.


	3. Mamas Thoughts

Disclaimer: Don't own X-men. Don't own Shawshank Redemption (That's how I got the idea.) Its all very, very sad, but true.  
  
**6 Months Later**

"And how is everybody?………Peter?…….Bruce?………. That other guy, um, James?…….. Good, good, that's great sugah…….. And he's helping ya study fer law? That's excellent….. And how are- No, don't ya dare hang up on meh……ah love ya too sugah but don't……Alex….ALEXANDER!"

The line went dead. It happened every time. He was always rushing away doing this thing or the other. All I wanted to do was talk to my little boy and he goes and hangs up on me. I sighed and put down the phone sitting back in the sofa. The house was empty. It always been empty. Ever since he went away. God I missed him. The way he used to smile at me, the way he always made sure I was ok, the way he.

No.

I must not think of him. Not now. Always after calling Alex, even after thinking about Alex I always though of him. "Why did he leave?" I whispered to the room.

Forcing my limbs to move I stood up and walked over to the old wooden desk in the corner of the room. From the top drawer I pulled out an old Photo album. Sitting back on the sofa, I looked over the faces staring back at me.

Underneath one photo written in a swirly, loopy style that was not my own was "The Team." And indeed it was the team. Scott, Jean, Ororo, Logan, Kurt, Kitty, Hank. And up the back trying to melt into the background was me. I never did like having my picture taken and always tried to stand behind someone tall to block me out. But he hadn't let me. He had pulled me as far to the front as I would let him. If anyone else had tried they would have been drained dry in a second. But not him. He always managed to charm his way out of it.

Ultimately it was him that helped me with my powers. Thief that he was, he managed to 'acquire' a very beautiful piece of jewellery that helped me control them. The day he left, I didn't know what to do. He didn't say goodbye. There was nothing. Not even a note. He had just left. I went straight to the mansion and asked the professor to look for him, but although the professor tried, there was no way he could find him.

Everyone had been supportive, some more than others. Scott stayed away from me, hw wouldn't even talk to me. Whereas Jean took every moment she had to tell me such phrases as, "New he was a bad character." and "Never should have trusted him."

I hated it.

I hated her.

I hated the words that poured out her mouth.

And I hated them all the more, because I knew that some part of it was true.

When I got home I began to rid the house of any trace of him. I threw out the rest of his clothes. I sold all of his CD's. I never ever wanted to remember him again. Remember those eyes. Those DAMN EYES!

But the harder I tried to forget him, the more those eyes haunted me in my dreams. Then it started. I was ill. Sick at every hour. This couldn't mean what I thought it did. It couldn't. I had tried so hard to get rid of him, but not this, not this, not now. But my fears were all too real. For the nine months I carried the child of the man who left me I thought, please, oh please, don't let him have those eyes. I went to sleep every night pleading, not those eyes, not those eyes.

I remember Hanks face when he handed me the baby, "Congratulations, It's a boy." I looked at his little chubby face, his small arms. I watched as his tiny fingers curled round my finger. I looked at the tiny hairs on his head. And then he opened his eyes. Those eyes. The ones I had tried to erase stared right into my soul. I had said to myself, "It it has those eyes, I wont keep it. I cant." How wrong was I. When I saw those eyes, fell in love with little Alex. He was my child and I would keep him and love him like any other mother would.

And where has it got me now. Sitting in an empty house, my little boy locked away in prison. My little boy. He was growing up now. Someone in there was showing him what life really was. 'It will be that James man' I thought to myself. I turned the page of the photo album.

Another picture, another time.

It was in Paris. It was just the two of us, standing beside the Eiffel tower. And there we stood. Our arms round each other. I was so much in love with him back then. And still am to-

**KNOCK KNOCK**

I jumped up quickly, letting the album crash to the floor.

Who could it be?

"Rogue? Rogue are you in there?"

Like I needed to ask.

"Doors open Jean. In you come."

The red head bounded through the door, a smile firmly set in her perfect face. "Hello there." She said cheerily. "I thought since you were all on your own down here you could do with some company."

"You really don half t-"

"Oh but I do!"

With that she sat down on the sofa and picked up the photo album. She looked at the picture I had been staring at and frowned. "I thought you got rid of these?" she said as I turned to look out the window.

"I…….I…..I couldn't."

"You still think about him then?"

"How could I not? Alex is just a living reminder of….of…..him."

"Still cant say his name Rogue?" I didn't answer her, "You think about all the bad memories with him Rogue. Don't you remember any of the good times?"

"Yes." I said angrily turning sharply towards her. I pointed to the photo she now held in her hands, "I remember Paris."

"And what do you remember about it? How it was the last holiday you two spent together?" I turned away from her. Her words were true again. "The day you returned, we were there to meet you. The day you returned, was the same day he le-" She stopped mid sentence. She must have seen the tears falling slowly down my cheek. She sighed and stood up, "I'm sorry Rogue, but I had to say something."

"Its Ok Jean."

We were silent for a very long time, but then I heard her laugh silently to herself. "What?" I asked, looking round to face her.

"Do you remember when you came back with Joseph."

I smiled, "How can I forget."

"That man of yours. He was so Jealous.

I laughed, "I remember. What was it he said?"

"Oh I can hardly remember. Wasn't it "So why's everybody callin' him "Joseph"? What is dat all about? Maybe I should just start callin' myself somethin' different. James. "Gambit"? No, I'm James.'"

We laughed together, almost rolling around the floor.

And then lightning struck.

James

James

James

James

Call me James

James

James

James

I fell to the floor, Jean rushed to my side saying, "What is it Rogue, whats wrong?"

"I…..I know where he is."

"Where who is?"

"HIM! He's in Prison! He's in Prison with Alex! Remy is in prison with Alex!!"


	4. Old friends and a Parole Meeting

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.  
  
**6 months later**

"Mama, mama, will you slow down…….its alright, its just, is there something' wrong mama?……..Are ya sure. Ya sound a little, well, you sound lahke yer on helium…..no ah don't think ya gotta stupid voice…….no ah don't think ya have an annoyin' voice……. MAMA!! Calm down!……….Its ok mama……Yeah ma law thingy is coming on great. James has been a lot of help……..Yeah, I finally got ma Christmas presents from ya. Oh and Bruce and Peter both say thank ya fer the t-shirts………yeah, James got his book…… how did you know he'd like it?……..oh well. I gotta go. De Parole officer is coming round today and I got a meeting with him……. Ya……I'll see ya later. I love ya mama. Bye."

I was beginning to miss my mama know. It had been a year and 6 months now that I had spent in prison, and this was the first time I had spent Christmas alone. Not that I don't enjoy Peter and Bruces company. I mean, they're both really nice guys, but, not that I'm a mama's boy or anything, I just wanted to spend it with my mama. When I was younger I used imagine what Christmas would have been like if my dad was still around.

"Dreamin' kid?" said a voice next to me.

I turned round to look at the speaker. It was James. "Hey James."

He pointed to the phone box beside me, "Callin' yer mama?"

"Yeah. She seems stressed."

"Maybe she's jus' missin' yo'."

"Yeah. Maybe."

I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out a letter. I looked at it for a long time before handing it to James. I watched as his lips moved to the words on the page. Many people in prison need their fingers when they read, some of the prisoners don't even know the alphabet never mind read a sentence. However James, was quite different. He had told me about his past. How he grew up on the streets, was taken in by a gang of thieves. Never once did he mention that he went to school. Yet he could read, he could write, in both French and English.

"Remy?"

"Hmm?"

"Where did you learn to read."

He stopped reading the letter for a moment and then said, "Went t'an Institute, dey gave me an education."

"My mama used to work in an Institute."

"Really?"

"Yeah. De Xavier institute for-."

"-gifted youngsters."

"How d'ya know tha'?"

"Yo' be a mutant kid. Its de only place dat I know of dat takes in mutants."

I was expecting the usual, reply which was, "Wouldn't you like t'know kid." But he had actually replied.

"Dis is great kid, so how long have yo' got 'fore yo' have t'go for de interview?"

"Oh. From now…….I'd say……bout 10 minutes. Got any good advice?"

"Well I wouldn't know kid, never got had an interview wit de Parole officer. 'member kid, I be in here fo' life."

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

We started to walk out into the sunlight. I watched as a new arrival walked up to Bruce. "Uh oh." I heard Remy say beside me, "I know dat guy. He's de worst thief in de world."

"Really? Doesn't look like much."

"Exactly."

"huh?"

"He's de worst thief in de world. As in. He's really, really bad at it." Remy sighed, "I better go over dere, and help him 'fore Bruce sorts him."

"I'll come with ya."

"Don't you have a meeting to go to?"

"I gotta couple of minutes to spare."

We began to walk over to the small, mousy hair guy. We heard him say, "I say, could you possibly tell me where the toilets are?"

"Anywhere you want Jake, Dis be prison." I heard Remy say.

I watched as the little man slowly turned to face Remy, a grin growing on his face, "Well if it isn't Remy LeBeau. How the hell did you end up here?"

"Yo' don wanna know. Alex. Dis is ma old friend Jacob Gavin Jr. Jake dis is Alexander Raven."

"Glad to meet you Ale-."

The man looked at me.

Up.

And Down.

Then he looked at Remy.

Then I looked at Remy.

Who looked at me.

Smiled.

And then said, "Jake goes a little crazy when he hasn't had any sugar. Come on Jake, lets go see if we can find you some sherbet. Good luck wit de meetin' Alex. And as for advice, jus' be yo' self. Dey'll love yo'."

I watched as Remy marched Jake away, I could here Jake saying, "tha, tha, tha, Kid…….Alex….. He, he he,………."

"Jake shut up. Now. I'll explain later."

I'd catch up wit Remy later and ask him what that was all about. But as I looked at my watch I realised that I was going to be late for my Parole meeting. Not a good start.

* * *

I walked into the old room. There was a long table in front of me and sitting at it was three people. And in front of the long table, there was an empty chair. "Alexander Raven?" Asked the young man in the middle.

"Yes sir." I replied shakily.

"Please. Take a seat." I did so, "Alexander-."

"Please, uh, everyone calls me Alex."

The young woman on the left smiled and said, "Alex, Your name was put forward to us, because of good behaviour we are considering granting you parole. Tell me Alex, do you think that your time in Prison has helped you become a better person?"

I had no idea what I was going to say. Remy had just said be your self. Well. So decided to say what I would say. Well, what I'd say to Remy.

"A better person? Ah sure hope so. Ah don't wanna have t'a spend another six months in this, uh, this shit hole, please excuse ma language, but that's what it is." Well Remy said I should be myself, "Ah deserve t'a be in here though. Ah did wrong, ah stole from some folks who didn't deserve t'a be stolen from. But there be some people in here tha' don deserve t'a be in here at all. But they are. And ah wanna get those people out. An if meh still being in here helps them get out, then ah'd still be in here. But personally, ah think ah could do a lot more on the outside. Bu that's jus ma preference."

I watched as the young woman began to laugh silently. The other woman on the bored, was slightly older. She looked sorry for me. But the man in between them. His face was impassive. He asked me, "If you are given Parole, what do you plan to do when you get out?"

"Ah have decided t'a go inta law. Ah wanna get ma life back on track. Some ah'm gonna go t'a college and try and get a law degree. And ma mama says she has a friend tha' will let meh sart out at their law firm."

"Sounds like you've got it all planned." said the young woman smiling.

"Well, I had a little help." I explained.

"Well thank you for your time, Alex, if you'll just wait there we'll tell you our decision immediately."

The three of them passed each other different pieces of paper. I shifted nervously in my seat as the man in the middle read over the papers.

He then took the pen and wrote his own decision.

* * *

Mwhahahaha.  
I am evil. Leaving it like that. But I gotta think bout what I'll do next.  
Thank you very much for all the reviews!!!!!!!


	5. The Final Curtain

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men. Stan Lee does. Well. I think he does. But its only cause he's got good lawyers. Never fear, I'll get some lawyers, and then I'll win. Mwhahahaha.  
  
Thanks for all the reviews!!!!!!!!  
  
The Very Next Day  
  
"Yes mama………. Yes mama………..Yes mama…… Yes, I got some clean clothes…….. Yes mama……… yes mama…… look, mama if ya keep tahlkin' t'a meh on the phone ah'll never get out, they'll have changed their minds……. Ok mama…… see ya soon……bub bye"

I put down the phone and smiled. This was to be the last time I ever use that phone. I walked outside into the sunlight and looked at the walls that had kept me in for so long. Well, it was only a year and half. Compared to some guys that's only a tenth of what they're doing, but it was a lot to me. The walls seemed less intimidating some how as I looked on them now. It was almost as if these walls didn't keep the public safe from me. They kept me safe from the public. Suddenly I was scared. What would happen when I got out? All I was to the people out there was an ex-convict. Would they hold it against me? I had always dreamed about leaving, Id thought it would be amazing, but now, I was scared.

But as soon as I saw Remy leaning against that foreboding wall, basking in the sunshine, I knew I'd be fine. And there sitting beside him, in my spot, was his old friend Jake. What a pair they made. Ever since Jake had arrived the two of them had been nothing but comedians. Making everyone nearby burst into tears of laughter. At dinner Jake had told me all the adventures him and Remy had shared in the past. From what Jake told me, it sounded like the quite man I knew was actually quite a charmer. When I looked ay him now though, all I saw was a tortured soul.  
I walked towards them grinning and said, "Trainin ma replacement already Remy."

"Yo' kiddin' Alex. Nobody could be as annoyin' as yo'." I watched as a smile played across his lips.

"I rather resent that remark. I can be extremely annoying." Said Jake huffily. I sat down beside them.

"So when yo' leavin' kid?"

"An hour, still gotta say gidbye t'a Bruce and Peter, but ah thought ah'd come see ya first."

"Oh I'm honoured kid. Jake?"

"yeah."

"Scram."

"but-"

"I said Scram."

"Ok, Ok, I'm going. Nice meeting you Alex. Maybe I'll call on you when I get out."

"SCRAM"

"I'M GOING! Mr Bossy boots." Said Jake sticking his tongue out at Remy, and walking away.

"Don' get me wrong kid. Jakes ma friend, but I be t'inkin' I should jus talk t'yo' alone."

"Course. So."

"So."

"Ya gonna tell meh"

"Tell yo' what?" He said looking shocked.

"Well….the thang ya were gonna tell meh."

"Oh right. Oui. Look Alex. I been meanin' t'tell yo' dis fer a while now. It's jus, well. Yo' see. I um. I am…………" He just stared at me. Not finishing his sentence. I looked into those dark brown eyes. I saw those brown eyes everyday when I looked in my own mirror. They were exactly the same, but every mutant with the standard chip all had those brown eyes. He wanted to tell me something. I could tell, the way he shifted nervously. But he didn't say a thing. Well, I was never the quite type. "Yer what?"

"I am, I am……………………………… Really gonna miss yer company Kid." He finally said looking away from me.

Then it hit me. Id probably never see this man again. Never hear his advice. Never sit beside him again. I was going to miss him too.

"Well, don ya worry bout a thang Remy, Ah be coming back t'a this here shit hole an' getting ya out. Ah promised an' I still hold t'a it. An' when ah get ya outta here, ya can come live wit ma mama and meh. Ok."

"Was dat a question or a statement kid?"

"Statement, naturally." He laughed, his eyes shinning in that peculiar way they always did,

"Alright kid, whatever yo' say. Yo' better be sayin' bye t'Bruce an'Peter."

"Yeah. Well." I stood up, as did he, I held my hand out for him to shake it, "It's been real nice neetin' ya Remy."

He looked up and down the empty courtyard and then pulled me into a hug, "Take care o'yo'self kid."

"Ah will Remy, don worry." He quickly let go of me and smiled, "One last piece of advice kid."

"yes?" I said eagerly.

"Dental hygiene. It's important." I laughed as he sat back down against the wall and closing his eyes, "Now Scram kid."

"bye Remy." I walked back into the stony building that had been my home for the past year and a half.

And there, waiting at what I liked to call "The final curtain" was Peter and Bruce. And of course the ten guards making sure that the two of them didn't try and escape. Peter walked up to me and said, "So your bailing on us Alex? Well that's just too bad. I was gonna get you a leaving present but due to the lack of a gift shop in here, I couldn't."

"Oh well. Ya can get meh a 'got-ya-out-o-prison-present when ah get ya out."

He laughed and said, "Yeah, whatever. You watch your back out there Alex. Alright. Its more dangerous out there than it is in here. Oh and buy the way. Did you never think I'd notice?"

"Notice what?"

"Well, the fact that you're a mutant."

"Well, I tried." We laughed again and shook hands, " say hi to your mom for me."

"Alright." I turned round to look at Bruce, who stared blankly back, "Bye Bruce."

I was preparing myself for the long wait before he said anything when he said, "It has been nice knowing you Alex. And I hope your law degree works out. I don't really want to stay here any longer."

He smiled at my shocked face. I turned round to look at Peter who was also smiling, "You knew?"

"Course I knew. Bruce here is anything but slow. In fact he's probably the most intelligent mutant I know. He was a doctor before he ended up here. Just cause he's a mutant."

"Yes I rather think it wasn't fair. What's that saying Peter? Oh no wait, I remember, 'Lawyer fucked me.'"

This was too much. "but, but why do you act slow then."

"It works as a defence mechanism. I act slow. People think I'm stupid, but because of my size I am also dubbed dangerous. And of course my mutant persona helps too. So I'm a big, dumb mutant. Altogether, people generally leave me alone."

"And since I hang out with him. They leave me alone too. Got it?" asked Peter.

"Ma head hurts but ah reckon ah'll figure it out. Well. It's been great known ya'll. An' don worry. Ah'll come back fer ya'll."

"Bye Alex." they both said in unison as I walked towards the final curtain.

As I walked through the door one of the guards removed the chip in the back of my neck. It was painful, but worth it. I looked in the mirror only to see those demon eyes I had been born with. Most people were afraid of them, but I thought they were fantastic. The guard then gave me some clean clothes to get changed into. The material felt weird against my skin. I was used to the ruff cotton of the prison clothes. And then It was time.

As I walked out the door the light hit me so hard I had to close my eyes for several minutes. When I was finally able to open them again, I looked at my surroundings. No more grey, no more walls. I was free. I smelled the fresh air. Freedom. I looked straight ahead of me, and there standing beside her old car was my mother. She was wearing her best dress and her hair was all done up. She smiled at me and opened out her arms. I ran into them. She held me to her tight and kept stroking my hair and saying things like, "Ma little boy, yer back, oh, don ya ever do tha' again d'ya hear meh."

"Ah missed ya mama."

"Ah missed ya t'a sugah." We stayed like that for a while. Just holding each other, me breathing the fresh air. And then she shocked me by saying, "Did ya say goodbye t'a Remy?"

"Yes ah did an- wait. I nevah told ya his name was Remy!"

"Ah know."

I looked her straight in her green eyes, "How d'ya know his name was Remy?"

"Cause ah know him."

"What?"

"'fore he went in, ah knew him. Ah knew him very well. He was an X-man."

"What?!"

"uh huh. An he, he was ma, ma fiancé. But then he disappeared." I couldn't believe what I was hearing, "An Alex. Oh Alex. He's yer father."

"Ma WHAT?!?!?"

* * *

Hee hee. Nice cliffy.


	6. Meeting Papa

Disclamier: Don't own nuffin. Except of course the computer I am using to type this story. Well I don't really own it. Cause I didn't really buy it. Well. I'm on it all the time, so I should own it.  
  
Thank you for the Reviews folks!

**Several Years Later**  
  
I stiffly walked into the cream painted room, the briefcase in my hand banged against my leg and sweat from my hands congealed on the handle. Why were these rooms always cream? Apparently it was to give it a more family welcome feel to it. And recently an not quite artistic prisoner had painted distorted Disney Characters on the wall. Indeed they were so distorted that Mickey Mouse had three ears. It didn't exactly appeal to the little children who were old enough to know that a mouse does in fact have two ears.

Spread out among the cream room were groups of chairs. This was where the prisoners could meet their visitors. It wasn't the first time I had been in this visiting room. I'd came back to see Peter and Bruce, and was happy to report I never had to see them in this room again. Oh no. Due to my fantastic skills that I had acquired through an extensive college course, I managed to get them out of prison. Which they continually thanked me, whenever my mother invited them room, which was every weekend. She just loved having long drawn out conversation with the large genius who we liked to call Bruce.

I never wanted to come back here, but some where in the back of my head kept telling I should. I bet it's a telepath, someone like Jean Grey. Anyway, wither it was a telepath or just a guilty conscious I had to come back. I sat down on the plastic chair that had been provided. A couple of the guards looked over at me and waved. Clearly I had made an impact when I was here, either by previous longer stay, or by my knack of getting prisoners out of prison. And we're not talking 'Great Escaped Tunnel under the walls thing.' No, I get them out by showing that the law in the United States of America is in fact completely and absolutely, fucked up.

The door opened, and I walked the prisoners in their spectacular grey clothes. I looked at every prisoners face and saw the same thing in each. Depression, malnutrition and in some cases I saw that some had completely given up. Most of them were wasting away into nothingness, but knowing what was included in prison meals, I knew that it was due to the lack of proper food. But there.

At the end of the line of prisoners walking groggily into the room, was Him. He looked completely different from the rest of the prisoners. Yes, he looked like he hadn't had a proper meal in years, which was probably true, and yes, he looked like the most depressed guy in the world. But there was still that mischievous glint in his eyes.

He saw me, and looked completely shocked. He must have known I would eventually come back and see him. He cant be this shocked. However he composed himself and walked over to our designated visiting spot and sat down. Sat down? More like flopped down, he was clearly ill.

"Hey kid." he said tiredly.

"Hey," I replied stiffly, "You look surprised t'a see meh."

"Well, here's me t'inkin' dat maybe yo' be Jake. By de way. Well done wit dat. He really appreciated it."

"Wasn't a problem."

"yeah, but t'anks fo' getting' him out. He wouldn't have lasted anudah month in dis hell hole."

"And you?"

He looked at me straight in the eye. I knew what he was thinking. Get me out of here. I just want out. I'll do anything, just get me out of here. But instead he said, "Face it kid, I'm gonna have t'die here before I can get out."

He smiled that secret smile and the glint in his eyes grew bigger. We sat in silence for a while just staring each other our, daring each other to speak, to break this awkward silence.

"So kid, how yo' been?" he asked finally.

"Not bad."

"How's de wife."

"How d'ya know bout her?!"

"Yo' gotta weddin' ring on. So, what she like."

I know what I should say, 'None of you business you bastard!' But I couldn't say it. Seeing him like this, I knew that it would only kill him. Plus, part of me didn't believe it. "She's nice. Pregnant."

"It happens."

"but enough of ma wife. There's something' ah have t'a ask ya."

"An whats dat?" He knew. He knew exactly what it was I was going to ask but he wouldn't say it. He wanted me to ask it. He was giving me the choice. And I wasn't going to pass it up.

"Why d'ya turn yerself in? Why d'ya leave ma mama? Did ya not love her?"

It all came out in the one breath that he sat for a couple of minutes trying to work out what it was I actually said.

"Well, lets see. Why did I turn myself in. Guilt mainly. Felt dat it was bout time I gave myself up t'de authorities. However. Dere was anudah reason. Dis cop. She was real good at what she did. Got a promotion, wanted t'make a good first impression. Thought she'd do dis by catchin' de master thief."

"Ya?"

"Who else? So anyway, spent most of her life looking' fo' me. But she never caught me. I spoke t'her once. And she told me a lot of stuff dat scared me. Now when I be talkin' wit her, at de time I jus came back from a holiday in France wit yer mama. And when we came back dere was a message on de machine telling' me t'meet dis cop. T'dis day I still don know who left dat message. Anyways, so I meets dis cop."

* * *

The Bar was dimly lit, creating a very eerie atmosphere, seated at a table in the corner was a man draped in large trench coat. The cop known as Alexandra Davis walked towards him.  
"Hello there. I'm inspector Davis and you are?"

"Dey call me James." replied the man, "Please take a seat. Do yo' play cards?"

"Not particularly." She said sitting down.

"Ah well. Everyone t'dere own. Yo' wanted t'meet me?"

"Yes. James, while you were away on holiday in France I was given an anonymous tip off that you were in fact the thief that I have been looking for all my life. Now, what I'm here to ask you is, am I wasting my time here with you, or are you really Remy LeBeau."

She watched as he shuffled the cards in his hands and grinned, "Tell me inspector Davies, did yo' bring back up?"

"No. I came alone."

"A wise move Mademoiselle."

"So are you Him? Are you Remy LeBeau?"

"De one and only." She paused, taking time to take in those last words he had uttered. Finally after all these years she had him, and now she was going to do the hardest thing in her life. She was going to fail.

"So what yo' gonna do cherie? Arrest me?" he taunted.

"No. I cant."

"Sure yo' can. Yo' jus take out dose handcuffs an put dem round ma wrists. Keep in mind dough. Not'in kinky. I got me a girlfriend who'd kick yo'r ass."

"No. Believe me mister LeBeau, I would arrest you, but I wont."

"Is it cause I'm so charming."

"No." she said turning red, "I have reason to believe that you are being suspected of cases that you have never even heard about before."

"huh?"

"Your un-catchable Mr LeBeau. You have committed many a theft but still no one has caught you. So the police began to give up on you. You were un-catchable and a waste of government money. But then, obe cop had a bright idea. If there was a case that was not solved a cop would simple put the file into yours and say you were in fact the suspect. And because you were un-catchable the case was buried and forgotten about. So far you are suspected on many mass-murdering cases, many amounts of thefts, most of which are not your own, sixteen GBH cases and three accounts on Rape." The man took a long time to take this all in, "This, Mr LeBeau is why I am not arresting you. I apologise, if I caused you much trouble."

"Non Cherie, it is me dat should be apologising t'yo' fo' de trouble I have out you through." She looked away from unable to stand that peculiar gaze any longer, "How badly did yo' wan me behind bars cherie?"

"So much that I would put my job on the line for it." She said, and he knew it was the truth.

"Dey won stop dough, will dey? Dey'll keep on looking' fo' me. Dey'll do anyt'in t'get me. Dey will make everyone I know lives hell." He looked away and then said, "I don wanna see anyone get hurt Alexandra. I don wanna see ma chere get hurt."

He stood up and walked over to where the policewoman sat and held out his open wrists to her. "No." she said, "I wont do it."

"Oui. You will"

"You will be put away for ever!"

"If it must be. I don wan anyone t'get hurt."

She paused and looked up at him. " Are you sure?"

"Yes." And as the metal handcuffs snapped over his wrists, he knew that it was going to be a long time before he had a drink again.

* * *

"And that why? Cause ya didn't want t'a hurt mama."

"Oui, pathetic, Non? I must have hurt her more."

"Maybe if ya phoned her, wrote t'a her, ya could have sorted it all out."

"Are ya kiddin' Kid. If yer mama had known back den, den she would have flown all de way down here and busted me out."

"Sounds lahke mama. But what about yer case before ya went in. Surely there were flaws, Ah mean ya couldn't possibly have done all of them! It's ridiculous."

"Alex, I had handed myself in. Nobody likes wasting government money. Dey jus asked me 'how d'ya plead?' and I said 'guilty.' Done and dusted. Sentence: Eternity."

"Then ya didn't get a fair trial! An not only can we get ya outta here wit that but we can sue the courts. Papa! I could get you out of here." The man in front of me looked up quickly and looked me straight in the eye. I remember I once said that this man would cry if he were not in a prison. This man did not care anymore. No one could harm him. And I watched as a crystal tear fell down the side of his cheek, "what?"

"yo', yo' called me Papa."

I didn't realize what it was I had said. But now I knew that I had meant to say it, "Well that's who ya are. Right? Yer ma Papa. An ah know people will say 'But he was never there fer ya Alex' and ah'll say, "yes he was. He was there when ah needed him most. When I could have made the bigest mistake of ma life. An' ma Papa helped me not t'a make that mistake.' Ya are ma papa wither ya like it or not. An ah aint loosin' ya again. I'm getting yo' outta here."

He smiled and said, "It's hopeless Kid. De only way I'm getting outta here is if I die here. Dey couldn't get me outta here before, dey wont be able to again."

"Maybe. But ah wasn't yer lawyer back then."

* * *

Woo hoo. Anudah cliffy. Not as good as the last time but still quite a cliffy. I couldn't think of another inspector's name so I just used Alexandra , and I know she was meant to be dead, but hey, she was cool for the whole three pages she was in the book for.


	7. False Alarm

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I am making no profit from this. I am not a secret undercover writer from Marvel. I'm just a girl, with a lot of time on her hands. Many thanks to Masayous for proof reading, endangering his education by doing it in Maths. Thank you Very much for all your reviews.  
  
I am not guilty. I have done nothing wrong. I am not Guilty. Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty, not gui-

"Hiya Sugah. Where ya been?" asked my mother.

"Oh ya know. Work." I said avoiding her stern gaze. I looked over at Rachel, my wife, who rolled hers eyes and smiled, "an how are ya Mama? Yer looking very nice today."

"Don ya try t'a sweet tahlke meh boy. Now where have ya been, an don lie!"

"Ah was at the prison, uh, meetin' a new client." I said putting down my case.

_Alex, don't lie to her. It'll only make it worse._ said my wife telepathically.

"Alright, alright! Ah was seein' ma papa. Ok?" I said turning to stare at my mother.

"Ya were where?!" she said, not letting me loose eye contact with her.

"At prison. Seeing ma Papa. An speakin' bout going t'a prison maybe ya could go visit him!"

Ouch.

That was a bit harsh. I watched as her severity drips out of her eyes in tears. "Ya know ah would Alex, its jus. Ah don know what t'a say t'a him."

I sat down beside her and hold her in my arms. "Ahm sorrah mama. Ah didn't mean it."

"But yer right. Ah should go see him……….. Jus not now." She pulled away from me and began gathering her things, "Well ah'll leave ya two in peace. It was lovely t'a see ya again Rachel."

"You too Miss Raven."

"How many times do ah have t'a tell ya Rachel. Call meh Anna."

"Right." she said Smiling.

"Well bye Alex sweetie. And, um, and……good luck wit yer new case." With that she swept herself out the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Ah wish she wouldn't do that. Visitin' wit'out callin us." I said slumping back onto the chair. Rachel walked over to me and sat on my knee, grinning I said "Rach, yer getting t'a heavy t'a do that."

She smiled and made herself more comfy, "so. How was it?"

"It was great. He told me everything. Ah really think ah can get him out."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Does this mean more late nights at the office?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"Ahm gonna wait till the babies born."

"What did your dad say about that?!"

"He says he understands. Completely. In fact his exact words were, 'Been in here for so long it don matter if I in here any longer.'"

"Good man your dad."

"You've never met him."

"I'm a telepath darling. And speaking of meeting him, when do I get to meet him?"

"You wanna meet him?"

"Well I've heard so much about this man I think its only fair if I meet him."

I looked in her eyes and I knew she was telling the truth. Damn. My dad was a very…….. Surprising man. And Rachel comes from a very………high class family. But here she is, a woman of class, wanting to meet my papa, the convict.

"Right. Here's the deal. Ya can meet ma papa. When ma mama says she'll meet him."

"unfair."

"No. Very fair. Gives me time t'a tidy him up."

She smiled and hugged me, "You're a scoundrel Alex Raven."

"Yes. Ah am."

"But your my Scoundrel."

"Yes."

We sat like that for a while. Just holding each other. I wondered, did my mama and my papa ever do this? Holdin' each other. Tellin' the other that they love them. Maybe. Maybe I'll never find out. No. Stay positive Alex. Positive. But he said something. Something that scared me. He said, "de only way I'm getting outta here is if I die here."

It was a joke. He was only joking. I think. Yes. Remy LeBeau Joking. That sounds right. Maybe I'll ask Jake……..LeBeau?…….Hmm.

"Rachel, honey?"

"What do you want Alex?" she said grinning.

"'Rachel Raven' is such a mouth full, don ya think?"

"It is a bit."

"Well…….what do ya think of the name 'LeBeau'."

* * *

**6 months later**  
  
Pen? Check. Paper. Check. Evidence. Check. Rachel (and my new born kid Timothy.) Check. Baby bag. Check. Mother. Che- 

"Ah can't believe ya manged t'a convince meh t'a do this." she said sitting beside me up at the front of the car.

I looked in the rear view mirror at Rachel who was sitting beside the baby carrier. She smiled at me. My mother had been going on like this for a while now. It wasn't me who convinced her. It was Rachel. With the help of little Timothy. That was cruel. I can still hear her say, "… and Timothy Anna. Think about him. When he's older he will wan to see both his grand parents. Together. Or at least on speaking terms. You've got to go see him. For Timothy's sake."

It was cruel, but it worked. She caved in immediately. So that's why we were sitting in the car, on our way to prison.

"Maybe ah should stay in the car with Timothy."

"Mama. We've been through this. Yer gonna go in first and meh and Rachel are gonna stay in the car with Timothy. Then ya will come back and look after Timothy, then Rachel and I will go in. We agreed on this. Ya cant pull out now mama."

She sighed and looked out the window at the passing scenery. "What ahm ah gonna say t'a him? Hiya Remy, remember meh, ahm the mother of yer child that ya didn't know ya had."

"Mama! Jus………. Jus………. Jus try. Please. Jus try an tahlke t'a him. He wants ya too. He needs ya mama. This hasn't been easy fer him either mama."

"Ah know that."

"He still loves ya mama."

I've done it now. Either I'm dead meat, or I have just scored the jackpot.  
"He……he loves meh? He said that?"

"yeah. He misses ya, an he still loves ya. So, should ah turn this car around or are we gonna go see ma papa?"

She continued to look out the window, but I could tell she was smiling. And after a while she said, "jus keep drivin' Alex." "yes, mam'."

I wish I could have kept driving, just like she said.

I wish I hadn't pulled over and received the phone call on my mobile.

I wish I hadn't heard the Warden of the Prison's words.

I wish I could have turned back time.

"Who was it Sugah?" My mama asked, her eyes full of concern.

"It was the Warden." I said slowly putting the phone down.

"What did he say?" asked Rachel.

"It's papa."

"What? Has something happened?!"

I couldn't say it.

The words wouldn't form in my mouth. I could feel Rachel trying to get into my head, to speak to me, but I wouldn't let her. I couldn't. It cant be true! It cant be true. Everything was going so well. I had done everything I planned. I had got Jake out. Easy. I had got Bruce out AND got him working in CSI Headquarters. I had got Peter out. Even got him a job, driving supply lorries. Funny how most of the supplies went to the prison. Funny how the prisoners never saw those supplies. Well. That was before Peter was put in charge.

I had done all of this. Just to trip at the finish line. To not do what I had worked so hard to achieve.

Life isn't fair.

A man once told me that. He's right. He was right about everything. I wish, sometimes, that he wasn't.

"Last night. He was taken into hospital. He, he was having heart problems………"

Timothy began to cry. Rachel, her mother instincts kicking in, reached over and lifted him out of the baby seat and began to comfort him. But I could see her tears falling down the side of her cheek.

"….Alex…….No. NO!" screamed my mother, the tears infecting her too.

"Ahm……Ahm sorry….. Mama… when they went back t'a him this morning…… he was dead."

"NO!" She screamed again.

I reached over and held her in my arms, letting her tears fall onto my suit jacket. Comforting her. But the tears didn't come to me. I wanted them too. But they wouldn't come. My father was dead. Meeting him, it was just a dream. A dream that I had roughly been woken up from. I'm still that little boy, whose father is dead. The little boy who went to school on fathers day and was teased by all the other children. My father was gone. Taken away from me again. And yet realising this, the tears still would not come.

Then I looked around me, and I knew why I was not crying. I looked at my wife. Beautiful. Even through her tears she was beautiful. And there she was holding my child. Timothy. If my father hadn't been there to put my life back on track, I would never have met Rachel. Timothy would never have been born. I looked at my mother. She was upset. She might be for a long time. But this had brought us closer together. Closer than ever before. My life had taken a better turn ever since I had met my father. He had been right about everything.

Yet there was something nagging at my brain. It wouldn't let go of it. I forced it to the front where I could analysis it with the full use of my lawyer skills.

Lightning stuck.

I began to smile.

Remy LeBeau. Who said he wasn't a genius.

Why didn't I see it before!

I began to laugh.

My mother pulled away from me, looking shocked, and slightly scared, "Alex?"

I wiped the tears out of her eyes and smiled at her, "Don cry anymore mama."

"What?" she said trying to make sense of my words.

"Jus something' ma papa said t'a meh."

"What?"

"He said, 'De only way I'm gettin outta here is if I die here.'"

Sly Bastard.

* * *

Hmm, So who has figured it out. And your not allowed to Answer David. But please. Enlighten me with your suggestions. hee hee. 


	8. The Great Escape

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing! It's all Stan Lee and his marvellous writers and Artists. Sorry for the slow update.  
  
**Several Seconds Later**  
  
Letting go of my mother I returned to my attention to the wheel of the car. I quickly started the engine on and turned the car around. I caught a glimpse of my mother who looked positively scared out of her wits.

"Alex! What do you mean? What does it matter what he said?" she asked.

"Because he's not dead!" I said almost laughing."

"What?"

"Ah cant believe ah didn't see it before. He kept saying. The last time we met he kept saying 'de only way ah'm gonna get outta here is if ah die here.' And he was right."

"Alex." Said my wife in her commanding tone, "Slow down. And start making sense."

"Look. Ma papa knew that ah was never gonna be able t'a get him out. But papa, he never liked being tied up. So he realises that people jus need t'a think that he's dead. When really he's throwin back French champagne in France."

"Of course." said Rachel, "but how did he do it? How did he die, without actually dying?"

"Papa's gotta load o'friends in prison. Friends with a couple of the guards too, good thing t'a have, 'specially if yer planning on escaping'. Plus, papa had outside help."

"Alex, yer getting ahead of yerself, start from the beginning."

"Right mama. Here's how ah think it went. Just before papa is locked up fer the night, he begins t'a complain bout being ill. Ya know, lays it on real thick, coughing, spluttering. So with a quite 100 dollar bill and a later instalment to the guard, said-guard takes Papa t'a the hospital. Lo' an behold the doctor aint coming in till tomorrow. Bout the same time a delivery is gonna be made. So Papa is in a 'Real bad shape' now so the guard jus leaves him there, ya know, not wantin' t'a catch anyt'in. Locks the door behind him, then leaves. And from there, it's all an easy ride….."

* * *

**Earlier this morning……about 6:00  
**  
"…Why wasn't I called?" asked the doctor as the guard began to open the door.

"Didn't think you would want to be disturbed. It's only a prisoner anyway." said the guard fumbling with the keys.

The woman beside him carefully noted her surroundings. Cameras to the left and to the right. Her and the guard would have to continue their play acting for a little longer. Not good. Considering she was already sweating. Of course, she wanted to help LeBeau, after Alexandra's comments about him and of her own meetings with the man, she really wanted to help him. But man was she wishing she was somewhere else.

The guard held the door open for her.

"There you go mam'." said the guard grinning at her.

And that's when she saw him, lying on the hospital bed, looking extremely pale. He looked very convincing. He was extremely pale and it didn't look like he was breathing at all. Maybe he wasn't breathing. Maybe he was dead. Quickening her pace she was at the bed in no time. Panicking she checked his pulse and noted it was still there. How odd. He looked extremely dead.

His eyes flashed open, he sat up and said, "Bonjour mademoiselle Cooper."

"You're supposed to be dead Mr LeBeau." she said smiling.

"Wit a beautiful woman like yo' in de room, how could any man stay dead." he said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Now Mr LeBeau. Less of the charm and more of the being dead. Peter will be here any minute now."

"Where did Charlie go?" he asked searching for the guard.

"Oh he's away to get the Warden so we can get you sealed up tight in a nice black bag and taken away immediately. Now. Let's get this chip out the back of the neck."

He rolled onto his stomach saying, "Go easy wit me Mademoiselle." And for that remark she didn't. "OW!!"

"Well that's that done. Now turn back round and look dead." She said concentrating on hiding the chip securely in her bag.

He turned over again and that's when she saw his eyes. Red and Black. Amazing, "Somet'ing wrong mademoiselle?"

"no. Just, um, jut act dead."

"Oui mam'."

The door burst open and in walked the warden and Charlie the guard. "Whats this Miss Cooper? What appears to be the problem?" asked the warden severely.

"Well, he's dead."

"Dead?"

"Dead."

"How?"

"Heart Attack."

"Heart Attack?"

"Yes, Heart Attack."

"Does he have a history of Heart problems?"

"Yes."

"Right well let's get him sealed up and out of here as soon as possible."

"The next delivery is at seven sir."

"Thank you, Get him on that shipping then."

"yes sir." The doctor was about to sigh with relief when the warden turned round to face her. "He was here awhile miss Cooper. Never caused any trouble. In fact, he stopped a lot of trouble. Make sure he gets a decent burial." With that the Warden left.

"Never knew I was dat popular." said the supposed dead LeBeau.

"Oh, shut up and get in the bag."

* * *

"…so then Papa gets out. End of story." They looked shocked, and also like they didn't believe me, but I was going to prove to them that he is alive.

"Ok, Alex. So what happens next? Where does he go? He's dead, where can he go?" asked my mother.

"He'll need t'a get outta the country. But first. He needs somewhere to stay, somewhere t'a get cleaned up. And um. Yeah. Ah think that's its."

"So where would he go?" she asked again.

"They only place he really can go……….. Peter's."

* * *

I know it's short, but it was the best I could come up with.


End file.
